


and there you are, an ocean away

by dutchmoxie



Category: The 100 (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, Friends to Lovers, Voicemail
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-25
Updated: 2018-02-25
Packaged: 2019-03-23 22:58:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,487
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13798119
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dutchmoxie/pseuds/dutchmoxie
Summary: Clarke is prepared to miss her best friend and roommate when he's studying abroad. She isn't prepared for how their communication is strictly through voicemails.





	and there you are, an ocean away

 

SEPTEMBER

_This is Clarke, leave a message!_

_Hey Clarke, it’s me. You made me promise to call you when I landed. I’m in London, and in a stunning turn of events, it’s raining. I should feel right at home. I’ll try again later, at a more decent hour._

She woke up to the notification, having fallen asleep on her couch, waiting for the very call she’d missed out on. Stupid sleep.

Why did people even need sleep anyway?

Stupid best friend slash roommate who just had to take a minor at Oxford University for an entire semester.

Okay, so she was really proud of Bellamy for following his dreams and getting his thesis subject approved. But did he really have to write the damn thing all the way on the other side of the world?

It was part jealousy - Oxford freaking University! - and part impending loneliness. Sure, she’d have a roommate for the next few months, but that roommate was not Bellamy.

Apologies to Octavia’s friend Luna, but she did not seem like the type who enjoyed midnight Mario Kart battles and drinking cider after a hard day’s work. The girl had vegan hippie written all over her, and Clarke was not that much of a pacifist. And a life without cheese? To quote the great Cher Horowitz: as if!

At least when Bellamy was here they could be their natural asshole selves together.

Only five more months.

/////////

_You’ve reached Bellamy Blake. I can’t take your call right now. Leave your number and I’ll get back to you as soon as possible._

_Bell, why aren’t you answering your phone? It’s a decent hour and everything! I can’t believe we haven’t talked in a week. What are they doing to you over there? If you’re not picking up because you’re too busy banging the locals… I’m proud and disgusted at the same time. As usual. Call me!_

A week of missed calls, hurriedly sent texts and voicemail messages that got longer and more ridiculous every single time.

She hadn’t gone a week without talking to Bellamy since that stupid fight they had about three months after they first met. And that was years ago.

So maybe being unable to talk to him made her a little grumpy. It made sense - she needed his stupid jokes and his unique perspective on her life to get her through the awfulness of senior year. She had to take another one of Wallace’s classes and this time Bellamy wasn’t there to proofread her papers and listen to her complain.

Luna didn’t offer to get her a cider when she got home late again because the library was basically her second home.

Maybe it wasn’t fair to Luna to compare them.

Or maybe Bellamy should just pick up his fucking phone for once.

 

OCTOBER

_This is Clarke, leave a message! That means you, Bellamy! Because you’re the only person left on the planet who still uses voicemail._

_Clarke, I’m sorry. My phone died on me, and I won’t have access for a while. I thought I could get a hold of you from this landline, but… We just keep missing each other, don’t we? I promise to email you until I get a placeholder phone. You can hear all about the disgusting British candy I’m bringing back for you.Thanks for sending the care package, by the way. Thank Raven for me - I know that TARDIS was all her. Remember that time she -- BEEP._

_I don’t even remember what I was saying, but the stupid thing cut me off and I’m vindictive enough to keep trying. Don’t be too hard on Luna okay - she can’t help that she’s not as awesome as I am. Or as modest. Miss you._

A month of phone tag, of missed Skype appointments and texts and emails that just didn’t seem to fill the void.

Clearly she was more disgustingly dependant on her best friend than she’d expected. Maybe this meant that she needed to build more of a life of her own.

He was going to come back with some hot British girlfriend and she was going to look like a fool because she’d just been waiting for him to come back and slip into the very same place in her life as he’d been before.

Fuck, she missed him. He always managed to talk her out of her most maudlin moods.

/////////

_You’ve reached Bellamy Blake. I can’t take your call right now, so… leave your usual rambling message after the beep. Yes Clarke, that means you._

_Fuck you, asshole. I mean, I’m flattered that I’ve taken over your voicemail. What will your British bimbos think? Probably that I’m a dude, but still. I’m so drunk, Bell. So drunk. Luna moved out - she hates me. Well, I don’t like her. Or I do a little, but not a lot. Because she’s lame. You’re totally my favorite roommate. You’re not allowed to leave. Ever again. It’s boring without you. Raven promised to hold my hair back later. But that should be you._

_Don’t worry Blake, I’ve got your girl. Pick up your phone for once, okay? It’s getting sad._

 

NOVEMBER

_This is Clarke, leave a message! Or your life story, if you’re Bellamy Blake. How dare you judge me for rambling when you’re the one who actually got cut off. Four times. Dork._

_This is your daily voicemail. Because we might as well stick to tradition now, right? Thanks for the ChatSnap - I was starting to forget what you look like. Your eyes are still… You... I… I promise I’ll send you one once I figure out how to do one of those crown filters. Promise, Princess._

Her eyes were still - what? Ugh, did it matter?

It was clearly just wishful thinking - she was clearly still dreaming. Like she’d been for the past two nights, dreaming that she woke up with him next to her. Waking up together on the couch like they’d done a million times before.

It shouldn’t have been different, but it was. Because this time, when he smiled down at her, he pressed a kiss to the top of her head. He called her Princess like he had when he most wanted to antagonize her, and it only made her feel warm inside.

That was just… too weird for her to unpack.

/////////

_You’ve reached Bellamy Blake. I can’t take your call because I’m too busy becoming an even bigger nerd._

_ChatSnap? Pathetic! Princess? What are you, Finn? Thanks for the picture. I was almost starting to miss your stupid face. Niylah is keeping me company for now - she really doesn’t want to live with her family at the moment. And I really don’t want to be alone. The holidays are going to suck._

Bellamy Blake had actually gotten into Snapchat - he sends her stupid selfies with even more stupid filters at least once a day. She saved all of them, not caring that he knew - he’d just think it was for blackmail purposes.

And maybe it was, but maybe she just wanted to feel like they were still as close as they’d been before he left. Maybe she just wanted to pretend that he was still around all the time, and not halfway across the world.

She used to be able to see him when he was barely awake, dorky glasses on and hints of stubble. He was growing a patchy beard now, for some reason.

She pretended to hate it.

 

DECEMBER

_This is Clarke, leave a message!_

_No funny additions? I’m kind of disappointed. Your daily update for the people in the colonies: the beard of mourning is coming in nicely. I’m not shaving it until I come back - because you hate it and that’s how petty I am. You’re too far away to blackmail me into shaving because you think I look homeless. Low blow, by the way._

Christmas was approaching and Bellamy wasn’t here. He wasn’t there to buy the most pathetic tree in the lot and decorate it with all of her most unfortunate arts and crafts projects. He was half a world away, doing those things for someone else.

Of course he was - Bellamy was the biggest mother hen she knew. He wouldn’t know what to do with himself if he wasn’t taking care of someone.

She just wanted to be the person he was taking care of.

///////

_You’ve reached Bellamy. Clarke, I’m sorry. I miss you. Merry Christmas._

_Merry Christmas, I miss you. Thank you for the stupid present. Lov- miss you._

Watching the best and cheesiest Christmas movie that Netflix had to offer - there was a prince and a castle and a journalist - she tried not to keep staring at the second box.

The first gift had been typical Bellamy. It had been all stupid souvenirs and candy and a printed picture of him with his stupid beard (“to scare off rodents”). She’d laughed until she cried and then cried because she wasn’t hearing his stupid chuckle.

The second gift arrived today, and she’d been so confused for a while - she was not expecting any other gift, and when she’d seen that it had been sent from the UK, she’d wondered if Bellamy had made a stupid mistake.

She’d stuck to the mistake theory until she opened it.

A necklace, silver and simple, with a wonderfully detailed crown hanging from it.

The note had just said _Princess_.

Her face had flushed and she’d immediately called him. Or his voicemail, really. And if she almost slipped up, she wasn’t going to freak out about it too much.

It was lovely. He was lovely.

 

JANUARY

_I miss you too, asshole. You know I do. Uh, fuck. If you’re not Bellamy: this is Clarke and I don’t miss you._

_I cannot believe we haven’t been able to make this work even once. I am counting the days until I get back. 29 more days Clarke. I miss you. Don’t forget me, okay?_

It stung more now, after Christmas.

Wearing the necklace everywhere under her tops, having the physical reminder that Bellamy loved her from far away… It was the best and worst thing at the same time.

Late at night, she carefully fingered the crown and hoped he was sleeping well - damn the time difference.

She’d mostly stopped trying to reach him on the phone. She texted him all the time and attempted a call once a day or so, mostly when she knew she’d get his voicemail. They had to keep the tradition going, after all.

Only 28 more days.

//////

_You’ve attempted to reach Bellamy Blake. Because the Gods actually hate us, you missed me again. Yes, Clarke, I will keep apologizing. Forever if I have to. Or for 18 more days._

_It’ll be 17 when you hear this. It’s almost manageable now. I can’t believe you’ll be back soon. Niylah’s moving out next weekend, so the apartment will be back to its usual mess when you get here. Miss you Bell._

_Bellamy, you really need to stop it with the love letters on your voicemail. Other people will actually hear this. Your Princess is disgustingly happy that you’re coming back soon, so just do something about it already, okay?_

She was doing better now, coming to terms with the stupid feelings she had for Bellamy, with the dreams she kept having even after being apart for months. Maybe it would be weird again when he got back.

But mostly she was so happy that he’d be back soon that it was getting hard for people to deal with her. Raven had made more than one snarky comment about it, and that was not counting all the insinuations about how she just needed to get laid.

Preferably with Bellamy.

Yeah, her friend hadn’t been subtle at all, but she no longer cared. Bellamy would be back in her arms in 17 days.

 

FEBRUARY

_For the love of God, Bellamy! Where are you? You were supposed to be back yesterday! If this isn’t Bellamy, I don’t actually care._

She’d almost screamed the message, hoping he would hear it somehow, hoping that he was okay.

He hadn’t sent her anything in return. The last thing she’d gotten from him was an airport selfie on the day that he was supposed to leave. He’d looked exhausted but happy.

_Coming home to you_ , he’d captioned it.

The butterflies in her stomach had done a tango.

For once she knew that he would be unreachable, but she also knew that it would only be about twelve more hours until he called her from the airport. He wouldn’t let her come and pick him up - god forbid she missed work.

But when Galentine’s day came and went without Bellamy’s call - or even a text or a stupid voicemail, she started to lose her mind.

It was one AM, and he still hadn’t called. She’d tried his sister, Miller... _anyone_ who he might have reached out to. They either knew nothing or didn’t even pick up. Rude.

1:19 AM - her phone started ringing, the stupid airport selfie popping up on her display. Bellamy calling.

“Bell,” she breathed a sigh of relief.

“You were supposed to let it go to voicemail,” he sounded exhausted, but somehow also happy. “It’s a whole thing.”

She sighed. Asshole.

“I’m sorry,” his voice soft and closer than she’d expected. “My flight was delayed and then I figured you would be sleeping already. I was going to surprise you in the morning.”

There was fumbling at the door, and she almost dropped the phone.

He didn’t.

“Surprise,” Bellamy looked almost sheepish as he dragged his suitcases inside.

All of the anger drained out of her, and the second he’d closed the door behind him, she launched herself at him. His back hit the door as she wrapped herself around him and refused to let go.

_Bellamy._

“Asshole,” she muttered against his chest.

She felt his laughter, and she had to look up. She wanted to see his stupid face with the stupid beard while he smiled.

“I missed you too, Princess,” his voice was hoarse as he gently pushed a lock of her hair away from her eyes. “You have no idea.”

Had he always looked at her like that? Like she was a blessing straight from the heavens, and he was just lucky to be near her. How long had he been looking at her like that? As long as she’d been wanting to look at him like that?

“I think I do,” she whispered, reaching for him.

He let himself be pulled down to her level, let her run her fingers along that scraggly beard until she finally gathered the courage to just kiss him.

///////

_You’ve attempted to reach Bellamy Blake. I’m finally home again, so don’t expect me to get back to you any time soon. Unless you’re Clarke._

_You’re a dork. I can’t believe I’m dating you._


End file.
